While thro' Poetic fcenes the GENIUS roves, "Supremely fair, and fovereignly good! "Thee I invoke, and thee alone adore. Sir Ifaac Newton diftinguishes between these two in a very different manner. [Princ. Schol. gen. fub fin.]-Hunc cognofcimus folummodo per proprietates fuas & attributa, & per fapientiffimas & optimas rerum ftructuras, & caufas finales; veneramur autem & colimus ob dominium. Deus etenim fine dominio, providentia, & caufis finalibus, nibil aliud eft quam Fatum & Natura, VER. 489. roves, Or wanders wild in Academic Groves.] Above all things I loved Eafe, and of all hilofophers those "who reasoned moft at their Eafe, and were never angry or "disturbed, as thofe called Sceptics never were. I looked upon this kind of Philofophy as the prettiest, agreeableft, roving Exercife of the mind, poffible to be imagined." Vol. ii. p. 206. VER. 491. That Nature our Society adores,] See the Pantheificon, with its liturgy and rubrics, compofed by Toland, which very lately, for the Edification of the Society, has been translated into English, and fold by the Bookfellers of London and Weft-minster. VER. 492. Where Tindal dictates and Silenus fnores.] It can not be denied but that this fine ftroke of fatire against Atheism was well intended. But how muft the Reader fmile at our Author's officious zeal, when he is told, that at the time this was written, you might as foon have found a Wolf in England as an Atheist? The truth is, the whole fpecies was exterminated. Rous'd at his name, up rose the bowzy Sire, Then fnapt his box, and ftrok'd his belly down: REMARK S. 494 500 There is a trifling difference indeed concerning the Author of the Atchievement. Some, as Dr. Afhenhurst, gave it to Bentley's Boylean Lectures. And he fo well convinced that great Man of the truth, that wherever afterwards he found Atheist, he always read it A Theift. But, in fpite of a claim fo well made out, others give the honour of this exploit to a later Boylean Lecturer. A judicious Apologift for Dr. Clarke, against Mr. Whifton, fays, with no less elegance, than pofitiveness of Expreffion, It is a moft certain truth that the Demonstration of the being and attributes of God, has extirpated and banished Atheism out of the Chriftian world, p. 18. It is much to be lamented, that the clearest truths have ftill their dark fide. Here we fee it becomes a doubt which of the two Hercules's was the Monster-queller. But what of that? Since the thing is done, and the proof of it fo certain, there is no occafion for fo nice a canvaffing of circumstances. SCRIBL. Ibid. Silenus] Silenus was an Epicurean Philofopher, as appears from Virgil, Eclog. vi. where he fings the principles of that Philofophy in his drink, VER. 494. Seeds of Fire;] The Epicurean language. Semina rerum, or Atoms. Virg. Eclog. vi. Semina ignis-femina flamma. VEB. 499, 500. From Prieft-craft bappily fet free, Lo! ev'ry finifb'd Son returns to thee:] The learned Scriblerus is here very whimfical. It would feem, fays he, by this, as if the PRIESTS (who are always plotting mischief against the Law. of Nature) had inveigled these harm First flave to Words, then vassal to a Name, A Monarch's half, and half a Harlot's slave. REMARK S. 510 lefs Youths from the bofom of their Mother, and kept them in open Rebellion to her, till Silenus broke the charm, and restored them to her indulgent arms. But this is fo fingular a fancy, and at the fame time fo unfupported by proof, that we must in juftice acquit them of all suspicions of this kind. VER. 501. First flave to words, &c.] A Recapitulation of the whole Course of modern Education described in this book, which confines Youth to the ftudy of Words only in Schools; fubjects them to the authority of Syftems in the Universities; and deludes them with the names of Party diftinctions in the world. All equally concurring to narrow the Understanding, and esta➡ blifh Slavery and Error in Literature, Philosophy, and Politics, The whole finished in modern Free thinking; the completion of whatever is vain, wrong, and deftructive to the happiness of mankind, as it establishes Self-love for the fole Principle of Action, VER. 506. fmil'd on by a Queen.] i. e. This Queen or Goddefs of Dulness. Then take them all, oh take them to thy breaft! Thy Magus, Goddefs! fhall perform the reft. 516 With that, a WIZARD OLD his Cup extends ; Which whofo taftes, forgets his former friends, VER. 517. With that a Wizard old, &c.] Here beginneth the celebration of the GREATER MYSTERIES of the Goddefs, which the Poet in his Invocation, ver. 5, promifed to fing. For when now each Afpirant, as was the custom, had proved his qualification and claim to a participation, the HIGH-PRIEST of Dulness firft initiateth the Affembly by the ufual way of Libation. And then each of the Initiated, as was always required, putteth on a new Nature, defcribed in v. 530. Firm Impudence, and Stupefaction mild, which the Ancient Writers on the Mysteries call τῆς ψυχῆς ἕρμα, the great prop or fulcrum of the human mind. When the High-Prieft and Goddefs have thus done their parts, each of them is delivered into the hands of his Conductor, an inferior Minifter or Herophant, whofe names are Impudence, Stupefaction, Self-conceit, Self-intereft, Pleasure, Epicurifm, &c. to lead them thro' the feveral apartments of her Myftic Dome or Palace. When all this is over, the fovereign Goddess, from v. 565 to 600 conferreth her Titles and Degrees; rewards infeparably attendant on the participation of the Myfieries; which made the ancient Theon fay of them - κάλλισα μὲν ἔν, κ τῶν μεγίςων ἀγαθῶν, τὸ Μυςηρίων με χέειν. Hence being enriched with fo many various Gifts and Graces, Initiation into the Myfteries was anciently, as well as in these our times, esteemed a neceffary qualification for every high office and employment, whether in Church or State. Laftly the great Mother, the Bona Dea, fhutteth up the Solemnity with her gracious bene IMITATIONS. VER. 518. Which whofo taftes, forgets his former friends,-Sire, &c.] Homer of the Nepenthe, Odyff. iv. Αὐτίκ ̓ ἄρ ̓ εἰς οἶνον βάλε φάρμακον, ἔνθεν ἔπινον Νηπενθές τ ̓ ἀχολόν τε, κακῶν ἐπίληθων απάλλων πο Sire, Ancéftors, Himfelf. One caft his eyes REMARK S. 520 diction, which concludeth in drawing the curtain, and laying alb her Children to reft. It is to be obferved that DULNESS, before this her Restoration had her Pont ffs in Partibus; who from time to time held her Myfteries in fecret, and with great privacy. But now, on her Re-establishment, fhe celebrateth them, like thofe of the Cretans (the most ancient of all Myfteries) in open day, and offereth them to the infpection of all men. Ibid. bis Cup-Which whofo taftes, &c.] The Cup of Selflove, which caufes a total oblivion of the obligations of Friendship, or Honour; and of the Service of God or our Country; all facrificed to Vain-glory, Court-worship, or the yet meaner confiderations of Lucre and brutal Pleasures. From ver. 520 to 528. VER. 518.-forgets his former Friends,] Surely there little needed the force of charms or magic to fet afide an useless friendship. For of all the accommodations of fashionable life, as there are none more reputable, fo there are none of fo little charge as friendship. It fills up the void of life with a name of dignity and refpect; and at the fame time is ready to give place to every passion that offers to dispute poffeflion with it. SCRIBL. VER. 523, 524. Loft is bis God, bis Country-And nothing left but Homage to a King.] So ftrange as this muft feem to a mere English reader, the famous Monf. de la Bruyere declares it to be the character of every good Subject in a Monarchy: "Where (fays he) there is no fuch thing as Love of our Country, the "Intereft, the Glory, and Service of the Prince, fupply its "place." De la Republique, chap. x. |